What Determination Gets You
by cuethepulse-old
Summary: Standing outside in the snow, she reminds herself that while she may not be brave or beautiful, she has a lot of determination. Tamao x Ranmaru. Oneshot.


What Determination Gets You  
Song Prompt: "Baby, It's Cold Outside"—Bing Crosby 

The snow had been steadily falling for over an hour before Ranmaru even noticed her. She was standing at the front gate as usual, pacing sporadically, the very essence of timidity. His throat went dry, an annoying reaction he got whenever she was around now; but still, he ignored her existence until the last possible moment.

"Hey, the princess is out there again." Kyohei's observation was only barely audible, his mouth partially full with the few, lingering remnants of the dinner Sunako had made for them.

"Oh, is she?" Feigned ignorance, nonchalance, a noncommittal glance out the window, and his part was done, as far as he was concerned. He'd acknowledged her and could sleep with a clear conscience that night. Job well done, moving on.

"Don't be so cruel!" Yuki admonished. "She'll freeze out there waiting for you!"

Ranmaru failed to see how this was his problem, since _he_ certainly didn't ask her to stand outside his home in the snow. If she got frostbite, she had no one to blame but herself.

"Well," Takenaga said, standing and effectively getting Ranmaru's attention, "I suppose I'll go invite her in, then."

Ranmaru couldn't help the way his eyes narrowed at that. He still found himself irritated, on occasion, by the way Takenaga and Tamao happened to look so picture-perfect together. He would've been comforted by the fact that Takenaga had a steady girlfriend in Noi, if he wasn't so damn _nice_ to Tamao all the time.

"Don't bother yourself with it," he said, jaw set, rising from his seat with strained grace. "She isn't any of your business."

He brushed past the other man coolly, leaving the room without noticing the way Takenaga's mouth quirked up into a small, self-satisfied smirk.

Outside, Tamao sneezed. She took the handkerchief her chauffeur offered and gave a soft sigh.

"Ojou-sama, perhaps we should leave before you catch a cold."

"Not yet," she said, quickly, as if the very idea pained her. "I can't leave yet." She glanced down at the box she held in her hands and bit her lip. It was the first present she'd ever wrapped herself, and she just wasn't sure it looked neat enough. But then, she supposed it was silly to worry about such a thing when she doubted he would care very much about a Christmas present from her in the first place. Even so, she wasn't going to leave until she gave it to him. She might have to wait a while until she knew what his feelings were, but in the meantime, she wasn't going to let him forget hers.

But she probably wasn't going to achieve much if she couldn't work up the courage to approach the front door.

She closed her eyes and sighed again, wishing she could be more courageous, wishing she could just speak her mind. But she would never be as brave and open as Sunako and Noi. And she would never be one of the stunning beauties who caught Ranmaru's eye. Saddened by the thought, she tried to console herself with the reminder, _You may not be brave or beautiful, but you have a lot of determination!_

Oh, sure. But for all her determination, the only thing she was getting was a cold.

Well, that, and slender, gloved fingers brushing snow off her shoulder.

She jumped, startled, eyes wide open as she took in the close proximity of the figure beside her, decked out in a sleek winter coat and the familiar scarf he'd worn the day he'd come to find her at school. She felt her cheeks color, the resulting warmth a brief respite from the winter wind, and she dropped her gaze. A moment passed and neither spoke; she could practically feel the air of reluctance around him, and it made her heart feel heavy. Deciding to hurry and get it over with, she held the present out to him, arms trembling slightly.

"I'll be gone for Christmas," she explained weakly, "so I thought I'd give you your present now."

Ranmaru looked down at the offering, regarded her reddened, delicate fingers, and frowned faintly. He took it gingerly, momentarily covering her cold hands with his own gloved ones until she released the gift and took a step back.

"I hope you have a good Christmas," she said, and quickly turned to leave.

"Wait."

She stopped, heart hammering, feeling somewhat pathetic for the way she reacted to a single, simple word. She looked back at him over her shoulder, trying not to look too hopeful.

"Yes?"

"Why don't you come inside?"

"Oh, I—I only came to bring by your present," she immediately protested; she didn't want him to feel obligated to her.

"I'm sure the others will want to give you their holiday wishes." He opened the gate and motioned for her to walk ahead of him. "Besides," he added with the hint of a genuinely tender smile, "you'll have to get your present from me, as well."

She knew she probably looked ridiculous, shivering from the cold with a smile so wide it made her cheeks ache. But for the moment, Ranmaru was by her side, and nothing else mattered. Perhaps she did have a chance.

A brand new year was approaching, after all.


End file.
